Stay
by TheNovelArtist
Summary: Chat's wishes are clear, for his precious Marinette to stay out of the akuma's way. And she feels bad that she can't keep her promise to stay.


"Stay."

"Chat."

" _Stay._ "

Marinette sighed, frustrated, but relented. "Fine."

Gently, Chat took her chin in his hand and lifted it so her beautiful blue gaze would meet his. "Promise me?" he said, his tone slightly warning.

And it was moments like this that made Marinette's heart race. Because _Chat_ wasn't supposed to know _Marinette_ this well, know that she might not stay unless she gave her word. He wasn't supposed to care for her like he did, not throw himself into danger or give up precious time to ensure she was safe. He wasn't supposed to fall in love with her.

And she wasn't supposed to love him in return.

"I promise," she said, feeling guilty about lying but left with no other choice. "What is this place, anyway?" she asked, remembering she wasn't supposed to know what this was. Like she wasn't supposed to know what it was like to lay down on that bed while Chat patched her up or vice versa. Like she didn't know what it was like to shower in that bathroom off to the side after a rough fight. Like she didn't know there were cookies, camembert, and extra clothes stored in that beat-up old dresser.

"A safe house," Chat answered. "For Ladybug and me. I don't know if she'll be mad if I brought you here, but I'll take the heat for that. You just stay here, where I know you'll be safe, okay? Promise me?"

"Okay."

He gave a smile, but it was strained. And why wouldn't it be when there's a hellish black mass of tar sloshing around and scouring the city for a bluenette who accidentally forgot to set the emergency brake on the school's training car and then watched helplessly as it rolled down the hill and ripped tire-marks through some worker's newly refinished pavement?

Marinette forced a grin for him, because she knows he needs it. "Go save the city, okay?"

His grin widened, looking a little less strained and a little more bittersweet. He doesn't say a word as he pulls her a couple inches closer to press a gentle kiss on the crown of her head, then leaves her standing in the middle of the little room while he shuts the door firmly behind him.

Suddenly exhausted, Marinette collapsed back onto the bed. The way it sinks under her is far too familiar for her liking.

"Marinette," a little voice cried while a red blur rushed into her vison. "Ladybug needs to make an appearance, like, _now_!"

"Why couldn't I have remembered one to set the brake for once?"

"Because the fact the car was in _park_ should have taken care of it for you. Now is Ladybug going to go help her knight or not?"

That snapped Marinette to attention, just as Tikki knew it would. "Tikki, spots on."

Once again, Marinette was forced to shove back her guilt as she shoved open the shuttered window and leaped from it. "I'll be back," she told herself. "I promise."

The Tar-minator was easy to find. Just follow the trail of black sludge. Chat was already on the scene when she dropped in. "Hey, Chat."

"What took you, Ladybug?" Chat's voice was tense and his whole body was rigidly on edge.

It caught her off-guard. "Some welcome," she mumbled, trying not to get offended that this was the warm and cuddly cat that had stopped her heart with a kiss just moments earlier.

And he seemed to catch his attitude as well. "Sorry, LB. It's just…he's after someone I know."

"Marinette?"

Chat regarded her with surprise.

She gave him a sly smirk. "Someone texted me that you absconded with her off the street and didn't stop until you plopped her in our safe house."

Chat had the decency to blush. "Maybe."

Ladybug hummed. "If it were anyone else, I'd murder you, kitty."

The tense set of his shoulders eased. "I'm very glad, milady."

No other words needed to be exchanged after that. The screaming that was caused by the akuma snapped them back into reality. With a look, a glare, an eye roll, and a directional tilt of a head, they had a plan set out. That was the way they worked. That was the way they functioned. That they just… _knew_ each other. Ladybug would fully admit that _that_ was the reason she hadn't just fallen for Chat, but fallen hard.

The Tar-minator came rolling down the street, coating everything and everyone in a black sludge that froze them in place. A sludge, Ladybug noticed, that was perfectly smooth and free of tire-marks.

Surely Chat noticed too because the villain wouldn't quit screaming about his flawless, tire-free work.

"Where's the little blue-haired girl?"

"Girl who's nearly old enough to drive, thank you very much," Ladybug mumbled.

"Not well, though," Chat teased, earning a glare from Ladybug. "Don't tell her I said that, but she scares me behind the wheel."

 _Nope, you dork, you told her yourself._ "I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have your confidence," she sarcastically quipped.

"You haven't seen her, have you bug?" With a wink, Chat turned his attention off his flustered partner and back to the akuma. "How would we know?"

A butterfly symbol appeared over the akuma's eyes. When it disappeared, the akuma was left smirking. "Because she's precious to you, isn't she, Chat Noir?"

Ladybug literally felt the change in Chat Noir's demeanor. Could sense the way he bristled, the way his claws dug into the building he was leaning on, the way his eyes narrowed, the way the fire burned inside him.

"Chat," she warned quietly. "Chat, he's trying to rile you. Don't worry about her. She's safe, remember. She's safe." Each word burned her tongue, but she needed her partner to get through this with her. She needed him with her, not ten miles away in that safe house.

She watched his grip on the building ease slightly, but could feel the heat in his gaze as he looked at her. "Tell me what to do, bug."

 _Focus, Marinette._ She scolded, feeling suddenly lightheaded. _Focus._ "Distract him. Do whatever you need to so I can rip the cement smoother from his hand. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

In a flash, Chat launched himself from his spot, ready to take on Tar-minator. But the black sludge monster took off down the street, covering everything in its wake in a smooth coating of asphalt.

And then they both realized where Tar-minator was headed.

Neither Ladybug nor Chat had tendency to swear. Ladybug less than Chat. But today was one of those rare days both of them drop a curse at the same time. Because when Tar-minator stopped in front of the Dupain-Chang bakery, ready to cover it in sludge, they knew that Hawkmoth not only knew about Marinette, but knew where she lived.

"I'll make a deal with you, Chat Noir," Tar-minator taunted. "I'll give you five seconds to save your girlfriend before I cover her house."

"I only wish she was my girlfriend," Chat mumbled under his breath.

Ladybug would adamantly deny fumbling at the words she was fairly certain she wasn't supposed to hear. She would deny that hear heart skipped a beat. She would deny that her face turned bright red.

But she wouldn't deny that she wished he just asked her already.

"One!" the akuma shouted, snapping the superhero duo out of their trance. "Two."

They were both frozen, trying to figure out what to do.

"Three."

Chat made a split second decision and leapt forward, calling all attention off Ladybug.

The Tar-minator grinned, following Chat's every move. "Four."

Chat landed on Marinette's balcony. Ladybug moved into position, ready for Tar-minator to thrust his tool forward and give her the perfect shot to grab it.

"Five."

"Cataclysm!"

It was black sludge verses the hero of destruction as a wave of tar surged forward and Chat leapt forward to meet it. Ladybug knew what she should do: swing her yo-yo and grab the akumatized item while in clear view. But she couldn't do anything but watch in shock as Chat met the wave, his hand connecting with the tar and his powers tearing through the substance, causing it to boil and shatter.

"Nooooo!"

The wave still surged forward, pushing Chat back against the building, but instead of it being tar, it was nothing more than black ash that rolled off the building in piles and filled the air with a dark, unbreathable smoke.

"Lucky Charm!"

She tossed her yo-yo in the air, catching the two gas-masks that dropped down into her hands. Quickly pulling one on, she leapt over towards Chat, buried somewhere in the middle of the ash piles still on her roof. When she found him through the smoke, she shoved the mask in front of his face before he could take a breath. Silently, she asked if he was okay, with a head tilt and her brow knit together. She could see the way his eye scrunched, as if giving her a smile, then gave her a thumbs up before taking the gas-mask in his hands and securing it over his face.

Ladybug patted his head like a real cat, a bit stressed that he hadn't made any move to stand and had a dazed look in his eyes. But she needed to focus. She needed to find the akuma. To find where that nasty butterfly was hiding and free it.

Only, when she finally caught sight of him, she found a very distraught pile of sludge.

"Nooooooo!"

Through the settling smoke, Ladybug looked behind the akuma, only for her jaw to nearly hit the ground in shock.

"Holy crap, Chat."

"What?"

The city was shattered. Well, all the pavement was. The perfectly smooth surface that the akuma had painted the city in was no longer glisteningly flawless. Instead, it was chunks of rubble piece together to create a loose shell.

"Nooooo," the akuma cried again, the paver slipping from his hands in horror. "My beautiful work."

Ladybug heard the _chink_ of the item hitting the ground. This time, she wasted no time tossing her yo-yo at it, the string wrapping around the handle of the item before bringing it back up to her. She broke it over her knee and watched as the butterfly flew out.

"You think this is over?" the akuma shouted up at Chat, angry and hurt. "You think I don't know your weakness? You think I'll let that bluenette off scot-free? Think again. I'm coming for her, you piece of bad luck. I'll get her yet."

Marinette didn't even want to look at Chat. The sickening feeling in her own stomach at Hawkmoth's threat was already more than she could handle.

She snatched the butterfly from the air, cleaning it and sending it off. Then, she tossed her gas-mask in the air, watching as ladybugs cleaned the whole city from the tar, ash, and rubble.

Then she turned to her partner. "Good—"

Only for Chat not to be there.

Where did the cat go? He wasn't going to de-transform for four minutes yet.

Unless…

Ladybug bolted toward the safe house, her stomach twisting and turning and heart pounding faster than it should. She leaped in through the open window, watching as Chat tore through the room.

"Marinette!" he cried, frantic, checking the bathroom then scanning the room again as if she was right in front of his eyes and he just missed her. "Damn it!" he shouted in a very un-chat-like matter. "I told her to stay put. She _promised_ me."

"Chat, calm down." Ladybug rushed to his side, grabbing hold of him even though he seemed not to notice her.

"She's gone."

"She's fine."

Chat's eyes hardened at her. "You don't know that."

She solidified herself against his anger. "Yes, I do. She's fine, Chat."

"Let me go," he demanded, his voice still frantic and panicked.

"Chat, calm down."

"She's gone."

"She's fine."

"Stop that! You don't know that. She could be anywhere. She promised to stay here and now she's gone."

"Chat—"

"I have to find her."

"Chat!"

"Let go of me, Ladybug!"

"Tikki, spots off."

The world froze in a flash of pink. Chat stopped struggling. Marinette stopped resisting. They just stood, Marinette holding Chat's wrist, the sounds of their labored breathing filling the silence.

"Chat," Marinette said, her voice soft and weak despite yelling at him just seconds before. "Please. Please don't be mad at me."

Chat stood, silent and stunned. After what felt like an eternity, he ever-so-slowly pulled her close. She put up no resistance as she curled up against his chest. He wrapped his arms firmly around her, holding her against him, cocooning her up, his face pressed up against the side of her head.

As Marinette stood there, her ear pressed up against his chest and listening to the frantic beating of his heart, she could feel his breath chocking and heavy. "Chat," she whispered, her hand traveling up from his chest to his hair. "Chat, please don't cry. I'm here. I'm ok."

"Don't scare me like that again, Princess," he replied, his voice breaking at the end despite him trying so hard to keep it together. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry," she said, tears now running down her face. "I'm sorry, kitty. I'm so sorry."

"I just…I just don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"You aren't going to lose me, Chat," she whispered back, moving her hand from his hair to his cheeks so she could wipe away tears that she didn't see but knew were there. "I'm always going to be there for you. Always going to be by your side."

"That's what scares me the most," he said, choking on his words. "I-if I had ever lost you, I…I'd be a wreck, but I would at least have Ladybug to maybe pull me out of it. And if I ever lost her, I would at least have you. Now…" he sniffed, and shifted her in his arms. "Now I could lose my whole world in seconds."

Tears now poured down Marinette's face. What could she say to that? "Surely that's a lie."

She felt his entire body freeze. Every muscle she was laying against tensed, and that warmth he held seemed to go cold. Then, she felt herself resisting as he pushed her away. Just slightly, but she didn't want to be that far away. Four inches was too much. She tried to push against him, but he took her chin in his hand, raising it up just slightly so to force her to meet his brilliant green gaze. Cat eyes, maybe, but they were soft and gentle as ever.

"Do you ever think I would lie to you about that?"

His voice was so soft, so raw and open, yet it seemed to strike Marinette fiercely in her heart. "No," she choked out. "No I don't."

He gave a small smile, then with his eyes drifting shut, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers.

She allowed her eyes to fall closed as well, relishing the feeling of him, her heart, her knight, her partner, being so close.

And then came a beeping to interrupt.

Shifting away, and earning a whimper from Marinette in response, Chat glanced down at the ring on his finger. The way his brow furrowed made Marinette wonder why, so she looked down at his ring as well.

One pad.

Sixty seconds.

Marinette's brow screwed up in confusion. When had it beeped before? Surely they would have heard it go off more than the once.

"You have forty seconds, Princess," Chat finally said. "And then you'll learn who I really am." The way he took a nervous breath caused Marinette's stomach to churn. "And I'm scared that once the mask fades, your illusion of me will be shattered."

Marinette frowned, her hands slipping up to his shoulders to rest there and her body unconsciously leaning forward against him once more. "What makes you say that, kitty?"

His smile was bittersweet. Marinette didn't like it. "I just know, Princess. And maybe I'm stupid enough to hope."

"And maybe you underestimate me," she replied, leaning forward so that their foreheads could once again be touching.

This garnered a better smile. "Maybe," he said, leaning down into Marinette's touch. "Maybe."

Suddenly, those seconds were up. His ring beeped in warning, and green light took over his body. When it died down, Chat was no longer standing there, but Adrien. Adrien Agreste.

The first love of her life.

And apparently, the only love of her life.

His expression took a pained turn. "Please don't be mad," he begged, looking very much like a poor child begging not to be scolded. "Please, don't hate me."

It took Marinette some time to think, to process, to start her mind up again. "I could never," she said, her voice strong despite being quiet. Her grip on him tightened. "Not when Adrien and Chat both mean the world to me."

His eyes shot open in shock, which Marinette helped dull with a warm grin. Slowly, a smile crossed his own face as well. "I love you."

The words rolled out into the open so easily, so seamlessly, and despite them being the first time of them ever being said, it felt like they've been said a million time before. It wasn't an earth-shattering realization. It was just…a truth being stated for the first time.

Maybe that was why it was so easy for Marinette to lean forward, standing up on her tiptoes to come face to face with the boy that only yesterday she couldn't form a full sentence around and reply, "I love you, too."

Adrien's grin split into a full out ecstatic smile as he squeezed her against him, pressing his forehead against hers affectionately. Like a cat, Marinette absently thought. Like a cuddly cat.

"Stay with me?" Adrien asked on whisper. "Be mine?"

Marinette's heart felt light a fluttery. "Always, Adrien. Always."

"Promise me?"

She knew this was one promise she better keep. One she wanted to keep. One she impulsively decided to seal with a kiss.

He tensed up for all of a second before melting like putty in her embrace. Despite all the affection bouncing back and forth between them. Despite all the times she kissed his cheek or the times he kissed her forehead, this was their first kiss. Here, in their safe house, where no one could touch them, where the world outside was non-existent, where the two of them were the only important things in the world.

But not even the soft, lingering kiss could convey everything that needed to be said. In the back of her mind, Marinette knew that she should probably answer him. To say the words out loud, not just with a kiss, no matter how much it meant to both of them. "I promise," she said, her lips only a breath away from his. "I promise."


End file.
